


Obscurer

by hirakohs



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Original Character-centric, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-05-24 10:09:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14952650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hirakohs/pseuds/hirakohs
Summary: ob·scure (əbˈskyo͝or) [adj] 1. not discovered or known about; uncertain. 2. not clearly expressed or easily understood. 3. hard to make out or define; vague.Reiko was always good at wearing a mask. | collection of drabble's that follow in chronological order from TBTP through all of Bleach.





	1. "Reiko"

 

**SIBLINGS.**

The Muguruma siblings were one force to be reckoned with. Both strong in their own right and both high ranking Gotei 13 members. The eldest, Captain of Squad 9 and known as the residential hot-head but still maintaining the level of respect a Captain deserves. And the youngest Muguruma, residing as the Lieutenant of Squad 9. Known for being the yin to Kensei’s yang, the dark haired sibling was known for being the more level-headed and understanding of the two. Shining in perception and a master swords-woman, Rieko Muguruma strove to shine the same way her brother did because she did not want anyone thinking that this position was solely handed to her because of favoritism.

Still, regardless of how much she fought to shine, people loved to gossip. 

It bothered her for quite some time, walking around Seireitei with her brother caused a lot of stares and drew a lot of whispers. It upset Kensei as well, causing her older brother to snap at their own Squad a few times when they initially sassed or questioned her authority. Reiko took it, biting her tongue and shielding her heart, she couldn’t deny the dent in both ego and feelings that came along with the initial disdain from her own squad.

 **UNDESERVING.**

Respect within her Squad came a few years after her assignment as Lieutenant, when Kensei sent her out to take care of a few hollows within Rukongai along with a small team. The seated officers had returned pale faced, shaken but uninjured, while Reiko limped back, bloody and grinning. She had nearly sacrificed her own arm to save them against a surprise hollow but had gained the respect of the seated officers and the rest of their division soon after. And, slowly but surely, her division began to back her against the rumors. They defended her against the unbeknownst, stating that she was - in fact - deserving of the Lieutenant title and it was just not a fallacy that was handed to her by Kensei. Sure, said man was happy to have his own sister by his side. But, he would not have put her there unless she deserved it.

And, over the course of years and years, her reputation began to build on its own.

Captains and Lieutenants and seated officers alike saw her as she grew. Always standing tall and proud, sword bouncing on her hip and eyes trained on _everyone_ and _everything_. People started to see her as she was, as Lieutenant Reiko Muguruma, and not just as Captain Muguruma’s younger sister. They saw her as she was, brilliant in her own way. Originally trained under Captain Kyoraku in the Eighth as a seated officer before moving her way up many, _many_ years later. She was proud of who she was, where she was, and with her current title in the Gotei. 

**LIEUTENANT.**

Reiko peered up at the clock that was mounted on the wall over her and her brothers desk. It was almost time to start heading over to the Ceremony for the new 12th Division Captain. Reiko stood and adjusted her shihakusho, tugging at the thin silky silver sash at her waist. Her bare feet pounding on the wooden floors of the Division as she walked around her desk. Kensei looked at her from his desk before looking at the clock himself, he sighed heavily.

“Time to go, huh?” Kensei stood, reaching for his Captain’s haori. 

“Yes, Captain,” She extended her reply, dragging both words along lazily and in a near mocking tone, Kensei shot her a look of distaste but didn’t say anything as she reached for her sandals. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror that was in their shared office, her black hair fell in straight layers to her collar bones. Her eyes were an identical honey brown to her brothers, and they shared the same sharp facial features. She wasn’t as tall as Kensei, though was also not significantly shorter - standing at a 177cm. Her shihakusho was fashioned to lay open enough on her chest so the ‘ **6** ’ tattoo in the pit of her neck would be visible, but left no other skin there exposed. 

Her brother and her left their Division soon after fixing themselves presentable, they mostly walked in silence. Save for Reiko asking her brother if he knew the who the Captain was (to which he replied a short and uninterested _‘Not a clue_ ’).

A soft cough broke the comfortable silence between the siblings, causing Reiko and Kensei to turn behind them curiously.

Reiko perked, seeing Captain Kyoraku, along with Lisa and Captain Ukitake closing in. Reiko bowed politely as she greeted them while they joined her and her brother.

“How are you, my precious Reiko~” Kyoraku sang, leaning into Reiko. She didn’t mind the man’s charm, unlike most she found it particularly endearing. She assumed though, it was due to the fact that he was the Captain to recruit her after her days at the Academy. That, and she had spent countless days and hours with the man as he helped her better her shikai abilities. Her zanpakuto, Tsukikage, was quite the unforgiving spirit and he took quite a toll on her whilst she was finishing up the academy and when she was a seated officer. Captain Kyoraku helped her get the better grasp on her abilities, more-so than her own brother. And with this, she would always be grateful. 

**MENTOR.**

“Piled in paperwork recently,” Reiko quipped, “Lieutenant Yadomaru didn’t warn me about the amount of paperwork I would be doing.”

“You didn’t ask,” Lisa shrugged, her voice holding the same bare tone as it always did. Reiko resisted the urge to roll her eyes, the corner of her lips tugging upwards.

The 9th Division Lieutenant soon noticed there was a crowd already walking towards the main room ahead of them, all steadily walking to the 1st Division barracks. Captain Kyoraku cut in as Hirako Shinji and Aikawa Love seemed to be talking about one of the old 11th Division Captains. 

“You’re early today, Shunsui,” Love commented offhandedly.

Reiko feels her body tingle unpleasantly, alerting her that someone was watching her, so her own eyes drag over to meet the brown irises of the 5th Division Lieutenant. Aizen Sosuke was someone she felt oddly about, his eyes reminding her of her own. Full of knowing and calculation, she never could bring herself befriend the man. She didn’t know how to quite describe it, but the goodness he seemed to show everyone was just so.. sickeningly _fake_ to Reiko. But, she kept her feelings to herself, never really knowing if she was being paranoid or if the man really was what she suspected.

**UNTRUSTWORTHY.**

“How are you today, Lieutenant Muguruma?” Aizen smiled softly, warmly. He bowed shortly as they all walked.

She bowed back politely, “I’ve been good, Lieutenant. How’s the 5th been doing recently?”

Small talk was all it got to for Reiko and Aizen, she didn’t let it get much further than that, no matter if he tried. 

“Busy, you know how Captain Hirako can be.”

“ _ **Oi!**_ ” 

In fact she did, she ran paperwork past the 5th too often for her own liking. It wasn’t a problem with the Division itself, just with Aizen she didn’t like. She hated the feeling of being watched, calculated, and interpreted like foreign material. Shinji often stopped her to talk since, originally, he had also reached out to potentially make her a seated officer within the 5th after her graduation from the Academy. But she had already pre-decided on going to the 8th, and had pretty much accepted her position there by the time she’d met him. So to say, Shinji was a little too late in his proposal. He still liked to bring that up whenever he saw her.

Reiko nodded in acknowledgment to Aizen’s response, uninterested now in continuing the conversation with the man. Though, she did made brief eye-contact with Shinji, who’s eyes glinted with interest.

“Promoted?”

Shinji snapped away from her gaze to scold his Lieutenant for interfering with a conversation that was clearly spoken mostly between the Captains. She passed her eyes around as she half-heartedly followed the conversation, keeping quiet to herself. Reiko knew some of it, based on a brief conversation she had with Kensei, about Captain Hikifune being promoted to the Royal Guard. It was interesting, a first she had heard of. But she also was not nearly as old as Kyoraku, Ukitake, or Unohana.

“Hey!” Her brother interrupts everyone, pointing back towards further inside of the 1st Division barracks, “He’s here. The new guy.”

Reiko follows her brother in, only stopping when something crawls it’s way over her shoulders. She glances at Kyoraku with a raised brow as the man pressed his cheek into her shoulder, “Promise to visit me soon, Reiko~!”

She opened her mouth to answer but Kyoraku flew forward due to Lisa’s rough kick in the behind, Lisa passes by with a thumbs up as she looked at the black haired Muguruma, “I agree.”

Reiko’s lips turned upward a fraction as she gave a lopesided smile. She only nodded in response to the two, then moving to stand in line behind her brother as the new Captain skidded in. 

Reiko blinked at the newly promoted Captain’s aloofness. She heard Shinji mumble something about him being a slacker to Aizen. She eyed the Captain up and down, not particularly trying to hide the fact that she was looking at him with a critical gaze. The Captain was tall, a little taller than her brother most likely. He looked innocent enough, but with the Captain’s haori hanging on his shoulders she knew he was anything but. Sandy blonde hair fell between his pale grey eyes, he glanced around the room nervously whilst rubbing the back of his head. Reiko tilted her head to look around the room, gauging reactions. Her eyes stopped on Aizen, her eyes narrowing seeing the look in his. It held nothing close to the warm calmness he tends to try and show everyone. She drags her gaze away quickly before he would notice she was staring.

“Sorry I’m late,” The new Captain smiled, rubbing the back of his head, “It’s nice to meet everyone.”

Pause.

“Um, can I… come in?”

Kensei and Reiko glanced at each other through their peripherals, her brother crossing his arms over his chest and Reiko tilting her head slightly forward. The new Captain definitely was a curious one, she would be the first to admit that.

Yoruichi scolded him quickly as she yelled at him to enter, though he seemingly did not have the time to enter on his own accord before he was shoved in by the Captain Commander himself. Reiko again listened half-heartedly, instead choosing to glance around the room when she felt she could. Nearly all the present Captains and Lieutenants were listening intently save for two or three. 

“I hereby appoint Kisuke Urahara as the new Captain of the Twelfth Division.”

**CHANGE.**


	2. "Late Nights"

“Isn’t it a lil’ late for you to be out?”

Reiko opened her eyes, peering down at the voice that spoke. She was sitting on the roof of the 9th Division, katana on her lap as she meditated. It was late, that itself was true, but it was also the time of day where she wasn’t busy with paperwork or the squad - and when Kensei and Mashiro weren’t at each other's throats ( _again_ ). Reiko pulled the zanpakuto from her lap gingerly, placing it back into it’s sleek black scabbard at her hip. She adjusted her sitting position, dangling her bare feet off the corner of the roof. Shinji raised a brow in her direction, giving her form above him a once over.

“Tsukikage is a picky spirit,” she began, meeting Shinji’s curious gaze, “He’s very talkative at night. Besides, it’s a nice night and it’s quiet out here.”

Shinji raised a brow further, not knowing anything about her zanpakuto’s ability. Only being familiar with the fact that Kyoraku Shunsui helped train her. And this, he only recalls because of how highly the 8th Division Captain spoke of her and the fact that she was a Lieutenant. Shinji knew, from the way both Kensei and Shunsui spoke of her, that she was not to be taken lightly. He had seen the way she carried herself in the Academy ( _He’s still upset Kyoraku beat him to the punch in offering her a seat_ ), as a seated officer and as a Lieutenant . Shinji’s gaze trailed to the black scabbard, eyes moving up to the silver, white and black threading of the handle. A silky silver ribbon hung from the end. He thought it was particularly cute how she matched the sash at her waist with her sword. He looked back up to Reiko, who was glancing around him for a moment, her brown eyes narrowing before she slid her gaze back over to meet Shinji’s. 

**CAUTIOUS.**

“Why are _you_ out so late?” She asked, tilting her head. Her black hair tickled her jaw line, sweeping across some of her face as she eyed the longer haired Captain.

“Came to see if I could finally persuade you into joinin’ the Fifth, maybe Kensei will agree to trade Sosuke for you,” Shinji gave her a lazy grin and she raised a slender brow. A soft laugh left her and she crossed her arms over her chest. He never failed to try and say something along these lines, though it did feed her ego every time he did.

“Unlikely.”

“I’m hurt, Lieutenant.”

Reiko rolled her eyes as Shinji placed a hand over his heart dramatically. She turned to face another direction, “Are you going to go visit Hiyori? Or Maybe the new Captain, Captain Urahara?”

Shinji’s grin faltered a bit, curious as to how she could guess where he was originally intending to go before he noticed her. He and Reiko were, by no means, close friends. They talked amicably and often, but it never got past his own harmless flirting or proposals for her joining the Fifth. He had actually never even pushed her for personal information if the situation didn’t call for it. So, sometimes she would really surprise him with her perception. 

“I thought about going too,” She stated honestly, Shinji felt like she was reading his mind at this point, “I’m wondering how Hiyori is doing... I’d also like to formally introduce myself to the Captain, of course.”

**WORRIED.**

He knew her words held underlying meaning when talking about Hiyori. The two weren’t known friends but had been seen together. Hiyori and her sparred quite often, and had an unassumed, unstated, and quite odd friendship that based itself on that. They weren’t the best of friends ( _Shinji doesn’t think either of them would even call each other a friend_ ), but they had a nice agreement that wasn’t unwelcomed to the 12th Division Lieutenant. 

“Feel free to come along.”

Reiko purses her lips in thought, “No, I’ll be sure to visit during more appropriate hours since I have paperwork for him to sign anyway. Please send my regards, Captain Hirako.”

“I _told_ ya to call me Shinji.”

“Absolutely not,” Reiko shook her head, her voice wasn’t as strict as she had hoped and Shinji’s grin widens. She jumped off of the roof of her Division as she spoke again, “Have a good night, Captain.”

She pauses, taking a step closer to him as she bowes respectfully. As she did, he caught a whisper of a breath as she spoke, quietly, and only so he could hear her.

“Watch your shadows.”

Shinji’s smiled faltered for a moment and he caught her gaze as she turned. He couldn’t help the impressed upturned curve of his lip as she left him. 

**PERCEPTIVE.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please provide feedback by leaving kudos or comments!


	3. "Anger"

Reiko didn’t fight with Kensei often, sure they had their disagreements here and there. Kensei was quick to anger, a fault of his that she managed well. But real, thick, brooding rage rarely ever sparked between the two of them with each other.

It sparked when she returned from, what was suppose to be, a quick sweep of Rukongai. Kensei sent her with only one other person, both of the shinigami were noted for being fast. So, he was _immensely_ displeased in hearing that the two both ended up in the Fourth Division.

**EMOTIONAL.**

Kensei would be the last person to admit that he was definitely the feelings type while Reiko would be the first to agree that he was. His emotions amplified themselves to a tenfold, and he typically only knew how to channel them through anger.

So, this is how his concern presented itself - as white-hot rage. He bounded into the Fourth Division, anger radiating off of him like steam. His haori floats around him as his feet shake the floor below, his golden brown eyes looking everywhere for either his sister or his third seat. He spots his sister first, being tended to by Captain Unohana herself. Her hair is wet, a mixture of blood, mud and sweat making it almost look as if she was freshly showered. Her face is covered with blood and dirt, her shihakusho is ripped along the arm and chest.

He hears Unohana asking her a couple things, his sisters replies are slurred and slow - but still correct.

“What the fuck did you do?”

His voice is as loud and as rough as he expected it to be, a few Fourth Division members turned to look at the Captain with a start. None use to the boom in his voice, or the anger lacing his tone. He’s surprised when Reiko flinches herself at his tone, but he moves quickly past that as his anger swims over him. Pulling him underneath, washing over him like a wave of hot water. Boiling. Simmering.

“Captain Muguruma I don’t think it’s quite the time nor place to be upset,” Unohana tries, looking over her shoulder as Kensei closes in.

His name leaves his sisters mouth, slowly and almost confused. Her tongue feels heavy on her mandible, and she feels like she’s going to choke as his reiatsu flows off of him and onto her.

Kensei clenches his jaw, swallowing thickly as he looks and listens to his sister. What did she do? How could she get so hurt? Where is his third seat? The questions in his own head block out the first half of what Unohana says, and he barely begins paying attention until the woman starts rattling off his sisters injuries. Concussion, open wound in between her shoulder blades, bruised ribs - these, on top of the many bruises and scratches that now littered her arms, face and legs.

**DISAPPOINTED.**

It was how she was interpreting Kensei’s actions, his features, his words. She was already disappointed with herself, upset that she had gotten so hurt and put her third seat in danger.

She did not need this from her brother too, no matter if he was her Captain or not. 

“You’re unwelcome here,” she curses her slurred speech, she wills herself to speak more clearly. Maybe if she asks for it enough, her brain and mouth will cooperate enough and allow more intelligible sentences, “I’m not in the mood, Kensei.”

The noise he makes is an awful mix of a laugh and scoff - the noise itself sounding most like a bark than anything else.

“What the hell did you manage to do to yourself?” He pushes, his lip curling, “What kind of trouble did you get yourself into - on a mission that was supposed to be so _simple_!”

Reiko flinches and looks away, “Can you please keep your voice down? We aren’t the only two in here.”

“What did you do, Reiko?” Her brother snarls, his emotions going loose. Unohana takes a step back, coming to her own realization that this is no longer a Lieutenant and Captain interaction, but a sibling one. Kensei stands in front of Reiko, anger and reiatsu coming off of him, “How did you fuck up this time?”

“Shut up,” Reiko snarls, her own reiatsu falling off of her to reciprocate for her brothers coming at her. Her lip curls in anger as she faces down with her brother, “It was an honest mistake. Mashiro and I got caught up with a huge hollow and it took a little longer and a little more for me to get it.”

“A hollow,” her brother guffaws, no trace of humor lacing the laugh. Instead, only pure displeasure, “A goddamn hollow did this to you? You’re embarrassing.”

“Fuck off,” she snaps. She’s tired, sore, and both physically and emotionally hurt, “I don’t need your bullshit Kensei.”

“Where even is Mashiro?” Kensei scoffs, his anger not diminishing in the slightest, “She look as bad as you? Did you _both_ fuck this up? How am I supposed to confidently call you a Lieutenant if you can’t even look after yourself or our goddamn third seat.”

Surprise and hurt pass through her features before the anger is quick to take its place. She’s quick, quicker than her brother and Unohana give her credit for, and she draws her zanpakuto so quickly to aim it at her brother that he even jumps back - his hand going to reach for his own sword. He’s stopped, phantom fingers grasping at his wrist causing him to turn sharply behind him. Mashiro looks up at him with a frown, lips sealed tightly for once. She’s okay, only a small cut along her bruised bottom lip.

Kensei open and closes his mouth in surprise. One, that his own sister had pulled her sword on him. And two, that Mashiro stood in front of him clearly not seriously hurt. Only his sister had taken the beating and the fall.

 **BLIND ANGER** vs  
**BLIND SELFLESSNESS.**

“Get out,” Reiko shook, her sword was no longer aimed up but shook heavily in her hands by her side. Kensei didn’t move, only stood and stared wide eyed and sorry.

“Get out!” Reiko screamed, her reiatsu flowing out of her purposefully. She could not stop her body from shaking, her teeth chattering as her emotions drove her own body in compulsive confusion, anger and hurt. Kensei looked at his sister, his harsh features softening in a way that only his could. He didn’t say anything as he rushed out, haori flying like a cape around him and fists clenched tightly on each side. Mashiro looks at Reiko’s form and walks towards her, gingerly taking her zanpakuto from her trembling fingers and placing it to the side. Mashiro could only purse her lips as Reiko shook, blood and tears dripping onto the Lieutenants lap as she bowed her head down. The green haired shinigami doesn’t speak as she leaves.

Unohana doesn’t say anything as she begins to heal Reiko once more, politely ignoring the girl as she silently cried. Even her zanpakuto whispered encouragingly to her, soothing her soul and mind. 

She sleeps in the Fourth Division that night, tightly clutching the scabbard of her sword close to her chest. 

At least Tsukikage never leaves her.


	4. "Tsukikage"

The forest was thick with foliage, the grass at her feet dewy from the mist of the everlasting night. Reiko approaches the fire that crackles and dances none too far away from her, the fire casting pale orange shadows against the face of the tall man hunched by it. Piercing blue eyes followed her as she walked towards him, a grin tugging at the man’s lips. She feels like she’s under the gaze of an enemy, but knows better. The man is just as calculating as he is annoying.

Reiko moves to sit across from him, the dirt and rubble of the cave crunching underneath each of her movements. She eyes the man with a raised brow, giving him a once over as if to question him. Silently asking him why he had asked her to join him here.

She looks him over as he chooses to remain silent, his eyes scanning over her too. Reading her like an open book. His blue eyes were so pale she always felt so small under his gaze, though she’ll never say it to him, she’s absolutely sure that he’s aware. He moves, pulling his long legs closer to him to rest his forearms on his knees. Although he was sitting, Reiko was still able to gauge how tall he was from memory, because the man was quite significantly taller than her - standing at a tall and bold 7’4. She can recall the moment of absolute shock when she saw the man because she, herself, was not an incredibly short woman. But he managed to make her feel tiny.

 **ZANPAKUTO**.

“How are you, child?” His voice is like honey, yet rings with a familiar huskiness.

She raises a brow at the man, tilting her chin down, “You’re the one who called me here.”

Tsukikage grins, his canine’s sharp as they jut out and poke his bottom lip. The thick gray fur coat on his shoulders shake as he chuckles, and he runs a hand through his pepper colored hair - furthering it’s messy state and causing even more strands to fall in front of his eyes.

“What if I just wanted quality time with you?” He asks, his lips puckering into a playful pout.

Reiko rolls her eyes, “Really, I wouldn’t be shocked, but I also know you as well as you know me by now.”

His wide grin slims down to a smirk, and the twinkle in his eye tells her he has more serious issues he’d talk to talk to her about, “Always so intelligent, my child.”

The giant of a man moves again, adjusting himself to lean in closer to the flame. He drags his tongue across his lips as he stares at her. His eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze is so scrutinizing that she feels herself grow stiff under it, “You feel it, don’t you?”

She’s confused, unsure of what he means. She ponders for a moment, trying to think on what he may be feeling, what he thinks _she_ may be feeling, and what he knows. Tsukikage was amazing to her, treating her as amazingly as a zanpakuto spirit could, but she did rue the fact that he would often just not give her a straight answer about things and instead chose to play riddles with his words. She was patient, she was blessed with the ability to be that, but it still didn’t make his riddles any less tiring. He always gave her such a hard time with things, initially when it came to his name, and then being absurdly difficult with mastering their abilities together, and even with simpler things like just judging _people_.

 **DANGER**.

Reiko frowns, she isn’t sure what he means but she can only assume it’s something negative. He wouldn’t drag her here for no reason except for something serious (well, he would. _But_ he wouldn’t ask her what he did unless there were a serious reason). But, all Reiko could really think about was her own paranoia. She was overly cautious, and kept anyone outside of her squad within arms reach - Lisa and Captain Kyoraku were an exception. Tsukikage had always told her that this quality of hers wasn’t the best, and she never really did disagree or agree with him when he said it. The spirit was fond of multiple Captains and Lieutenants, and would always tell her to “be more sociable”, and she was. She just wasn’t entirely trusting.

But she didn’t think her paranoia would ever really be right. At least, she hoped it wouldn’t.

“Now,” Tsukikage raises a finger, reading her like a book, “Don’t think ill of your own cautious nature, my little Reiko. If you live amongst wolves, you must act like one.”

Her frown deepens at the awful riddle.

“But you cannot live forever with no one to trust but you and yourself.”

“I trust Kensei,” she protests, “As well as Mashiro, Lisa and Captain Kyoraku.”

Tsukikage shakes his head, “There are more people that exist than just your Division.”

 **TRUST**.

Reiko roused herself from her meditation, only to flinch violently when she noticed the man hovering above her curiously. Her lip curled at the blond, and she gently put Tsukikage back into his scabbard before breathing out.

“You nearly scared me half to death, Captain Urahara.”

**Author's Note:**

> CHARACTER: Muguruma, Reiko. (written as logic, blessing, child // 理恵子)  
> Thank you for reading! Please provide feedback by leaving kudos or comments!  
> Also, thank you to my beta reader Allie. You're amazin'!


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